


The Art Of Knowledge

by Thatonelyric



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, F/M, Gay, Harry Potter AU, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Muggle Life, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The first generation, jamesandlily, no magic, peter doesn't have much of a role, siriusandremus, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-18 21:47:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22700350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatonelyric/pseuds/Thatonelyric
Summary: Sirius is an art major, and Remus is a Lit major. They don't know each other, but Sirius's class is in the same lecture hall as Remus's, two hours before. One day, Remus responds to a doodle, and everything goes to hell.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	1. Drawing and Writing

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I haven't updated any of my other shit I'm trying to hang in there. Enjoy!

“Prongs.”

“Pads…”

“Prongs.”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Prongs.”

“He’s obviously trying to sleep, his eyes are closed. He’s snoring softly.”

“Prongs.”

“Or pretending to snore, at least. Y’know, maybe he his awake.”

“Prongs.”

“Hang on Pads. Do it like this. James? Lily’s right outside the dorm. She says she needs help with her unicorn horn essay, for some fucking class she’s taking.”

James Potter sprang out of bed, instantly awake. He brushed a hand through his hair, jammed his glasses on his face, and threw open the door with a grin. He then looked back to Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, who were doubling over in laughter. James collapsed back onto his bed with a tired look upon his face.

“You’re rubbish mates, y’know that?”

The pair could barely nod their heads through their snickering. “We’re sorry,” Peter said, clutching his stomach. “We just happened to see the note she passed you during Biology yesterday, and we just… couldn’t help ourselves.”

“Really Prongs, a unicorn horn essay? You could’ve come up with a better code name,” Sirius snorted, flopping on the bed beside James. “Maybe something a bit more realistic.”

“It was the best we could come up with,” James replied. “It’s realistic, because, you know, my horn is magic.”

“Definitely did not need to know that.”

“Lily does.”

“Piss off.”

“Mate,” James began. “You’re obviously bored enough play these stupid pranks on me. Why, you guys could’ve flooded the Slytherin dorm rooms in that amount of time.”

“The Slytherin dorms are on the other side of campus. Plus, college is boring,” Peter answered.

“You’re just lazy.”

“Am not!”

“Girls,” Sirius interrupted. “Peter is correct. College is boring. James is a prat for doing nothing but sleeping and fucking Lily all the time.”

“Hey, don’t bring my girlfriend into--”

“I’m just saying,” Sirius continued, waving his arms around, “University feels like… it’s missing something. Maybe that’s what’s boring about it.” Suddenly, he glanced at his phone and cursed.

“That’s what I’m saying. Padfoot, you need to fuck someone.”

“I am not-- no, I just realized I’m about to be late to class. I have to go.”

“Since when do you care about class?”

“Since my parents have been on my arse. Also, art history is… for some reason required for my major, and I can’t skip it again.”

“Nerd.”

“Piss off,” Sirius retorted as he walked out the door with his middle finger extended towards his roommate.

_____________________________________________

God, art history with Professor Drooler was boring. Sirius played with the tip of his pencil, watching as the lead made a mark on his skin.

“And as the Baroque movement progressed over the years…”

As everyone else typed notes on their computers, Sirius began to doodle on his desk, the same one he sat in every day.

Four black paws charged at the darkness, as though his heart was set to tear it to shreds. Their owner, a black dog, howled into the full moon, with rage ripping through its body. Next to the dog was a handsome stag, distracted by a single flower. A rat scampered along the path, barely noticed, but determined to grow bigger.

Sirius sat back and hardly acknowledged his work. To him, it was a simple drawing, and outline, a sketch. Nothing to be thought of.

“Women posed eagerly for these sorts of paintings…”

As Professor Drooler droned on, Sirius’s thoughts crept to his conversation with James prior to class. Sure, he fucked around with girls occasionally, however it never had anything to do with desire; it was more of a hobby. James had been on many dates before Lily, but hadn’t enjoyed them until he finally went on one with his current girlfriend. And Peter… well, one could say Peter wasn’t exactly a ‘ladies man’, although he had his fair share of snogs during New Year’s.

But Sirius never truly understood James’s and Peter’s fascination with girls, despite being with them every so often. Women were complicated and mature, while Sirius was the opposite, pulling pranks with James and Peter, occasionally going to classes, and living a simple life (excluding the Regulus conflict). Sirius was in no way shallow, however women just didn’t posses all the characteristics Sirius liked in a body. Or they had too many; Sirius could never figure out which. But Sirius didn’t know what he liked in a body, either. He liked his body; he was comfortable in it, but that was all he knew.

_____________________________________________

“Two euros says we won’t get caught.”

“No deal. I know for a fact we won’t get caught.”

"True. We usually never are."

"Exactly. Now, help me lower the bar."

James and Sirius grunted as the grabbed both edges of a thin, little tan bar, hard to see, yet big enough to trip over.

"This'll let Filch know not to make us sweep up the commons again."

"Yeah," Sirius snickered.

Once the meanest janitor in the university tripped over the bar and landed on his arse in the bro closet, a bucket of water would fall upon him.

It wasn't the most clever idea the pair had come up with; midterms had passed a little while ago and their brains were 'tired'. Flooding another dorm had seemed appealing at first, however it takes one much more time and energy to acquire that much water than water to fill a single bucket.

James and Sirius stepped back and admired their work for a second before racing down the hall to rid themselves from the scene of the crime. However they were stopped as Sirius slammed into someone walking in the opposite direction (James later noted that he had appeared to be engrossed in a book).

"Sorry mate," Sirius said as he brushed himself off. As he offered his hand to help the other up, he found himself staring at a very attractive, pale man (his immediate reasoning for this description being that straight people are allowed to find members of the same sex attractive. No one is a rock, after all).

"It's ok. I shouldn't read whilst walking," the man replied, accepting Sirius's hand.

Once they were both standing, the man picked up his book, gave an awkward grimace, and left.

Sirius turned to James. "I think my head is weird," the former said slowly.

"I don't see a bump," the latter replied.

"Nevermind."

Sirius and James made it back to their dorm unscathed. Suddenly, they heard a roar from across campus that suspiciously sounded like the janitor.

Whilst James glanced at Sirius, about to burst out laughing, a flush appeared on the latter's neck.

"What?" James asked, his smile slowly fading.

"Prongs, we just made a very amateur mistake."

James scoffed. "Impossible. I'm nothing, if not experienced. In more ways than one."

Sirius ignored the joke.

"Prongs, we forgot to knock out the security cameras."

…

"Fuck."

_____________________________________________

"What'd you get?" James asked as soon as they met up at the commons.

"Another warning. And I was advised to call my parents, which, obviously, I won't do. You?"

"I hate your stupid white privilege. I got fucking probation."

"That's tough. Guess we won't be doing pranks for awhile. At least people know we did it, though. Our reputation isn’t completely shattered."

"Lily knows. She gave me shit for it."

"What did you expect, a bouquet?"

“That’s fair. I’ll give her the weekend to cool down, but that’s all I can take before I have to talk to her again.”

“Meaning… What, exactly?” Sirius asked as the pair began to walk across the campus.

“I’d go crazy if I couldn’t talk to her for a longer period than that.”

“Ah. Here we are,” Sirius said, stopping in front of a building.

“Your art history class again?”

“Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, mate.”

“G’luck Pads.”

“See you later, Prongs.”

_____________________________________________

There was rarely a time when Sirius didn’t doodle in art history class. His sketches ranged widely, and were extremely unpredictable. They were always erased by the time Sirius returned to class the next time it met. He suspected Filch erased them each time, but he didn’t care enough to find out.

Today the class was focused on the painting “Venus Rising” by Jean-Léon Germôme. The painting was of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty (Greek name: Aphrodite, but not that Sirius cared). She was nude and floating on the water with a flock of angels behind her. Sirius was drawn to her and was inspired, immediately sketching a crude form of a woman on his desk, who Sirius named Venus.

God, Professor Drooler was boring.

_____________________________________________

When Monday eventually rolled around, Sirius dragged himself into his art history class as always, and slumped into his seat. He looked down at his desk, expecting to find it clean as always.

It wasn’t.

Sirius’s drawing was still there, and still crude. However, something was different. Sirius had always assumed that art majors were the only ones who used this lecture hall, and that Filch or some other janitor had been the one to clean his daily doodles. Obviously, he had been wrong, for there was a sticky note attached to the desk, and neat handwriting on it. He read the note, and his eyes widened in shock. Knowing the note wasn’t from Filch, he sat there, stunned. Who would do such a thing, and how would he reply? Again, Sirius looked at the loopy cursive.

“Why is her navel so far to the side? Surely it should be a bit more centered?”


	2. The End, The Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally forgot about this fic lol! It's been nearly a year since I've updated and I'd like to say my writing has improved since then. Don't base your judgement on this one!!!

How dare he-- this person who had the audacity to criticize his lovely doodle-- do such a thing? Of course, Sirius wasn’t exactly sure it had been a male who had written the comment. A woman was much more likely to; she knew her body, after all. But-- no matter the gender of the person-- it was rude, and outgoing, and a bit intriguing. But mostly rude. Therefore, instead of ripping the sticky note off, Sirius furiously wrote his response, and leaned back in his chair once he was done, satisfied.

-How would you know?-  
_____________________________________________  
(Sirius is dashed, Remus is in quotations)

(One month later)

Twenty-nine messages. Twenty-nine messages total had conspired between Sirius and this mysterious stranger. They would hit the number thirty on Wednesday, of course. Writing his response for this class period, he leaned back and read the previous ones, all lined up along the edge of the desk. The stranger’s fancy script looked as though Shakespere himself had written the words, in sharp comparison to Sirius’s big, scrawly writing.

“Why is her navel so far to the side? Surely it should be a bit more centered?”

-How would you know?-

“I have a navel, and it is more centered. Perhaps you do not, and under those conditions I would feel the most utter pity.”

-Of course I have a navel, but why do you have to comment on my doodles? Professor Drooler is so boring-

“Pardon me, I did not know they were doodles, and I meant no offense upon my critique. My only intention was to improve. Also, I highly doubt that your Professor’s name is truly ‘Professor Drooler’.”

-no improvement is necessary, and yeah, my prof’s name is really Dooler, but me and my friends call him Drooler because he drools in class a lot. It's become a habit. Also why are you talking like the queen?-

“Sorry. It’s a natural habit as a Lit major. And again, I’m truly sorry for offending you with my comment. I’ve really liked your drawings thus far.”

-you should stop the thus and shit and just write these notes how you talk. Also are you a dude or a woman?-

“I’ll stop. I’m male. Are you the same?”

-Yeah. Which drawing has been your favorite ‘thus’ far?-

“Normally I don’t condemn mocking, but I suppose I deserved it. As for your question, I really liked the one you did a few weeks ago, with the stag and the dog. It was extremely impressive.”

-I hope you noticed the rat, too. Can I have your number?-

“What rat? And why would I give you, a complete stranger whom I may or may not have had contact with sometime in my university career, my private number?”

-The rat scampering along the path. Whatever, it doesn’t matter about the drawing. But I want your number, because that would be a lot easier than exchanging notes every few days-

“Hardly. I happen to enjoy doing it this way.”

-If I give you my number, would you text me?-

“Definitely not. I’m beginning to think you’re a serial killer.”

-I’m not a serial killer.-

“That’s exactly what a serial killer would say.”

-That’s what anyone who’s not a serial killer would say! Getting back on topic, I want your number.-

“If I were a female, I’d accuse you of not letting up, which is a serious problem for women.”

-I’m sorry. You don’t have to release your number to me if you do not wish to do so-

“Charming. Thanks for not trying to come on to me.”

-What? Well, I don’t even know if you’re gay or not. Are you?-

“That is yet another very intrusive question. When will you learn?”

-I’m not sure. Studies have shown that I’m seriously handsome, though. I should let you know, I always assume people are gay until they tell me they aren’t-

“That’s a bit unusual.”

-Is it? Why then, can people assume that everyone is straight until they’re not?-

“Touché.”

…

Sirius stared at the last sticky note the stranger had written. There was no question, and he was unsure how to respond. He greatly wished to continue the conversation, but what to say? Maybe he should risk it all. No one else sat in these desks, after all.

…

-Here’s my number. You can call it sometime soon if you’d like. If not, please respond when you see this on Monday. Before I ask it, I want you to know that this is a question that I’m genuinely curious about. I mean no disrespect. On the other hand, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Ok. So here’s my question: are you single? Again, I’m simply curious.-

…

God, Mr. Drooler was boring. Maybe Sirius should call his professor by the correct name. As a sign of respect, or something.

God, Drooler was boring.

…

“Hello, and thank you for your number, but I don’t want to call it on the off chance that you truly are a serial killer. Here’s my Instagram. Please use it wisely. @RJLupin”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

11:47am 

Hi Moony, @ImTheMostSerious_Padfoot6969 would like to send you a message. Would you like to accept? Tap accept, block, or delete. You will not see the message unless you accept.

Accepted

-Hey I’m the one you’ve been writing notes to in the hall, and I think you’re pretty cool. I don’t know you, but maybe we could meet for coffee or shit sometime soon? Feel free to reply anytime in the next 2 minutes bc my boy James needs updates, you know? And Pete’s about to get detention so I gotta tell him quick.-

“While I appreciate the flattery and offer, I must inform you that I’m gay, and you have decieved me.  
Additionally, a note from your friendly homoseual lit major who can’t help but correct grammar: it would be “quickly”, not “quick”, for the former is an adverb and therefore needs the ly on the end.”

-Thanks for the correction, but you, kind sir, have mistaken my gender identity. I am, in fact, a man, and gay too if we’re on the subject (but I think that’s proabbly obvious, since I know my sexuality and I asked you out, but you were confused for some reason? Idk. Maybe you’re used to girl nerds asking you out and not hot dudes.-

“You have she/her pronouns in your bio, so forgive me, I assumed you were a woman. Perhaps you forgot?”

-Ohhhh yeahhhh lmaooo Pete put those in there a while ago as a joke and I forgot to take them out-

-(I was about to make a joke here, but you probably wouldn’t appreciate it).-

-Anyway in case you were wondering, he did indeed receive detention and is not happy about it.-

“Remind me why your friend is in detention? Because this is a college? Also, pronouns aren’t a joke.”

-A week ago, Jimothy and Peety here decided to throw some… termites into a fellow peer’s dorm room. It was, surprisingly, not appreciated. Only Pete just got caught because one of the beds in the room collapsed, so he's now scraping old school trophies with the janitor.-

-And yes, this college does offer detentions. It’s probably the white privilege because they don’t wanna kick the white kids out.-

“Thank you for the details; it sounds awful. Also, you should probably change the pronouns in your bio so a mistake like this won’t happen again (and I do agree that this school is intense when it comes to white privilege. I benefit from it myself, unfortunately.”

-Ur welcome, I will, and I ahhhh shit m bout to get my ophone takendnewnl-

“Safe travels, dear phone. I pray that you’re returned to your owner quickly, for I was very much enjoying this conversation.”

“Wait-- phones can be taken too? Is this high school?”  
_____________________________________________________________________________________  
8:29 pm  
-So I’ve stalked your insta and I can say that ur very cute. Again, I’m offering to take you out, but if you say no, I understand. I have learned from my previous grievances.-

“You seem like a very straightforward person.”

“And I see your phone has been returned.”

-Yes to both. You have not answered my question, meaning that this is the last time I will bring it up, but I’d like to be friends at the very least.-

“I appreciate your respect, but I was about to accept your offer. That is, unless-- you’d just like to be friends.”

-Shit-

-No-

-I mean yes, I want to take you out.-

“Smooth.”

-Thank you.-

-Which dorm do you live in (so I know where to pick you up)-

“Gryffindor”

-Tf me too? How have we never met? You must know who I am-

“I do, vaguely. But you’re in the party section, and I’m in the serious section.”

-You will be soon-

“What?”

-Nevermind; it was a joke. I’ll come by tomorrow at four, is that ok?-

“Sounds good.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Remus opened the door to a very smartly dressed Sirius, wearing a white ruffled shirt and leather pants. Sirius led him to a nearby coffee shop, and they sat for hours, talking about literature and art and anything and everything. It would be that the art of knowledge is sophisticated to the point that there is a man, sitting with another man, at a simple coffee shop table, smiling. When they walk home, he will ask for a kiss, and the other will respond by caressing his cheek and pressing their lips together, and time will stand still as they show the other what they have wanted for their entire lives: someone to hold, to love.

Perhaps someone with which they will howl at the moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to end the chapter early that's why it's kind of weird  
> Hey thanks for reading I have a lot of unfinished works y'all should check out!!! xoxo Happy 2021 (I'm graduating this year!!)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, as always, to Instagram for the prompt.


End file.
